Are you an experienced Senior Group Accountant with a passion for IFRS and consolidation?

We’re looking for a confident and motivated finance professional to join our Insurance client on an 18-month fixed-term contract.

In this key role, you’ll ensure the accuracy, integrity, and compliance of our external financial reporting, while playing a major part in shaping and improving our group reporting processes.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across the business , you’ll lead on IFRS reporting and consolidation, staying ahead of technical updates and ensuring full compliance. You’ll also support IFRS17 delivery and partner with teams like actuarial to meet complex reporting requirements. 

As Senior Group Accountant IFRS, you’ll contribute to the month-end close process, you’ll perform account reconciliations, provide mentorship to junior team members and liaise with various stakeholders, ensuring strong controls, and continuously improving financial reporting processes and systems.

They’re big on working flexibly – you’ll spend most of your time working from home, with 1 day per week in the office at Haywards Heath, West Sussex – because collaborating with colleagues is always great, right? But of course, it’s your choice – if you prefer to be in the office more – that’s good with us too. We’re also open for you to work from their Salford Quays office in Manchester. If you’re based a little further afield, let’s chat-remote working within the UK is absolutely an option!

Must-have skills for success in this role:

• IFRS and Insurance Accounting Expertise: Extensive experience and expertise with IFRS and insurance accounting principles, ensuring compliance and accuracy in financial reporting. 
• Leadership and Team Management: Proven ability to lead and mentor accounting teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment. 
• Project Management: Strong skills in managing projects, driving change, and optimising processes to improve efficiency.
• Analytical and Communication Skills: Excellent analytical abilities to evaluate data and provide actionable insights, combined with effective communication to present complex financial information to senior stakeholders. 

What’s involved:

• External Reporting (IFRS): Prepare and review consolidated financial statements, notes, and disclosures in full compliance with IFRS for all required reporting periods. Stay abreast of the latest IFRS updates and interpretations, assessing their impact on the Group and implementing necessary changes to ensure compliance. Prepare technical accounting papers and memos to support accounting treatment under IFRS for complex transactions. Develop and maintain IFRS accounting policies and procedures for the Group.
• Consolidation and Group Reporting: Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual consolidated financial reports for internal management and external stakeholders. Review and analyse financial information, ensuring accuracy and consistency across the Group on an IFRS basis. Work closely with the actuarial team to capture all IFRS17 reporting requirements. Assist in the development and implementation of group IFRS accounting policies and procedures.
• Month-End Close: Contribute to the efficient and accurate completion of the month-end close process. Perform complex account reconciliations and analysis. Prepare and post journal entries as required.
• Other Responsibilities: Liaise with various stakeholders, including subsidiary finance teams, tax, treasury, and legal. Contribute to the continuous improvement of financial reporting processes and systems. Mentor and provide guidance to junior members of the finance team.
• Controls: Design and maintain efficient and effective second line controls within the function through reconciliation and maintaining audit trails to ensure proportionate safeguarding the risk of fraud, error or omission.

 Experience, skills & qualifications:

• Experience: Extensive experience in insurance accounting, with a strong focus on IFRS. Direct and indirect tax experience.
• Qualifications: ACA/ACCA qualified accountant with significant post-qualified experience.
• Leadership: Proven leadership skills with the ability to coach and inspire teams at all levels.
• Project Management: Demonstrated experience in managing projects and driving process improvements.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders.
• Analytical: Strong analytical skills, capable of driving data-driven decision-making and process optimisation.
• Commercial Awareness: A solid understanding of industry trends and regulatory factors, with a keen commercial mindset.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficient in Microsoft applications, with advanced skills in Excel and data analysis tools.

Behaviours:

• Results-driven with a keen attention to detail, while understanding the audience
• Empathetic leader able to inspire and motivate a wide range of stakeholders
• Skilled at delivering controlled change, overcoming obstacles, and influencing across teams
• Agile in project management, adapting quickly to changes in business priorities and seizing emerging opportunities
• Self-motivated, organised, proactive, and flexible, with the ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Always striving to drive business improvements and contribute to overall success

Applicants must be located and eligible to work in the UK without sponsorship. Please note, should feedback not be received within 28 days, unfortunately your application has been unsuccessful. In applying for this role, you may be registered on our database so we can contact you about suitable opportunities in future. Your data will be managed in accordance with our Privacy Policy, which can be found on our website. If you would like this job advertisement in an alternative format, please contact MERJE directly.